ABSTRACT
In response to the Philippine Educational System's transition to modular learning, the Department of Education streamlined learning objectives into Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs). This study explores the connection between students' mastery of MELCs and academic performance in English, Mathematics, and Science. This research examines the relationship between students' acquired competencies in MELCs and their academic achievements in key subjects. Data was collected from students in Grades IV, V, and VI across four elementary schools during the First, Second, and Third Quarters of the School Year 2021-2022. A descriptive-correlational research approach assessed students' competency in MELCs and their corresponding academic performance. The research revealed that students achieved varying levels of competency, and their academic performance was rated as fairly satisfactory, satisfactory, and very satisfactory in English, Mathematics, and Science, respectively. Specific challenges were identified in competencies related to fractions, problem-solving, analysis, evaluation, and social awareness. Pearson's correlation coefficient demonstrated a strong, positive relationship between MELC competency and academic performance, highlighting the significance of MELC-based learning. The study concludes that enhancing MELC competency positively influences academic performance. Teachers are encouraged to prioritize challenging MELCs to address learning difficulties and enhance students' academic performance.
Keywords: Most Essential Learning Competencies, academic performance
INTRODUCTION
Learned competencies were one of the means that described the effectiveness of the module used during the pandemic. It is known to everyone that modular learning modality relies heavily on the efficacy of learning modules. However, the learning and mastery of these learning competencies seem a challenge among teachers concerning the learners’ academic performance in English, Mathematics, and Science.
The pandemic caused many complications that challenged not only the health sector but also the education sector in the Philippines and around the globe. In the Philippines, face-to-face in-classroom learning sessions were halted in March 2020 due to the growing threats of the never-before-seen virus. Despite this challenge, the Department of Education fought to ensure that it can still render quality and accessible educational opportunities to all. Teachers and parents must adapt to alternative learning modalities to ensure that learners achieve essential curricular goals. This propelled the use of modular learning to its culmination.
The implementation of the modular learning modality, which was DepEd’s Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan, then came accompanied by the utilization of the Most Essential Learning Competencies, which the Department of Education defines as what the students need, considered indispensable, in the teaching-learning process to building skills to equip learners for subsequent grade levels and subsequently for lifelong learning (Adalin, 2020). However, the learning and mastery of these learning competencies remain to be a challenge, especially with the drastic change in the teaching-learning modality.
In 2012, the Philippines fully implemented the K to12 Basic Education Curriculum, which aimed to drive the focus of teaching and learning to a more learner-centered competency-based education. Competencies are what the current curriculum in the Philippines is centered on. A competency is the knowledge, skill, and/or attitude expected of learners to develop and apply to further succeed in learning, living, and working. This is utilized to support DepEd’s goal of changing the educational system to a curriculum that is more learner-centered, inclusive, developmentally appropriate, relevant, responsive, research-based, culture-sensitive, contextually global, and flexible enough to allow schools to localize, indigenize, and enhance the same based on their respective educational and social contexts. Academic performance is monitored to ensure that teachers are guided as to which teaching methods can best help learners develop their metacognitive skills and critical thinking skills, which are very useful in the practical setup.
This research work is focused on looking into the possible relationship between the two concepts mentioned above: learned competencies and academic performance. Specifically, the researcher opted to focus on the core subjects of English, Mathematics, and Science since they are widely recognized to assist learners in their day-to-day living and are essential to progress in education and career. Though acknowledged to be highly important, mastering skills in these core disciplines remains a challenge yet to be addressed.
The Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) reports that the number of successful takers of board examinations in all various fields of study continues to go down. One of the important causes for this phenomenon is the low academic performance in the elementary and secondary levels. This academic performance of the students can be attributed to their proficiency in the English language.
Relative to the said claim, the Department of Education (DepEd) asserts that students’ proficiency in Science and Mathematics has a relationship with their language proficiency in English. The majority of the students had not really mastered the different learning areas in Mathematics. It is because of these existing claims that the researcher has conducted a study that examines whether or not there is a statistically significant relationship between the level of learners’ learned competencies and their academic performance rating in English, Mathematics, and Science. Furthermore, this research also attempted to make relevant discussions and recommendations as to which competencies learners find challenging and what can be done to help them better perform in these competencies.
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